NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, Inc, a clinical stage company developing novel anti-infective compounds for the treatment or prevention of a wide range of bacterial, viral and fungal infections, announced the start of a phase-2a proof-of-concept study of its lead Aganocide compound NVC-422 in impetigo.

NovaBay's partner in the impetigo trial is Galderma, S.A. the world's leading dermatology company. NovaBay also is currently engaged in clinical studies of NVC-422 for viral conjunctivitis with its other major partner Alcon, the world's leading eye care company.

This double-blind, randomized, sequential group study will evaluate the safety and efficacy of a dermal formulation of NVC-422 in 120 patients ages two to 12 at two experienced clinical centers in the Dominican Republic. Over 15 patients have been enrolled so far and final results are expected in the first half of 2010.

Impetigo is one of the most common bacterial skin infections affecting over one million people in the US alone, primarily infants and children between the ages of two and six. Impetigo usually starts with direct bacterial invasion of healthy skin or when bacteria enter a break in the skin, such as a cut, scratch or insect bite. Symptoms begin with red or pimple-like sores surrounded by red skin. These sores usually occur on the face, arms and legs and fill with pus, then break open after a few days and form a thick crust. Impetigo can spread by contact with sores or nasal discharge from an infected person.

"Currently impetigo is treated with antibiotic ointments, to which bacteria develop resistance in the same way as to oral antibiotics. An effective alternative treatment for such a common skin disease could significantly reduce our over-reliance on antibiotics and help stop the global spread of drug-resistant bacteria," said Ron Najafi, chairman and chief executive officer, NovaBay. "Our goal at NovaBay is to make the need for all topical antibiotics obsolete with our Aganocide compounds, which have no known mechanism for inducing microbial resistance."

Impetigo is primarily caused by Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes. The skin condition typically is not life-threatening, but sometimes it may lead to serious complications.

The Aganocide compounds are novel, proprietary, synthetic N-chlorinated antimicrobial molecules specifically developed by NovaBay to mimic the body's natural defense against infection.

NovaBay Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing its proprietary and patented Aganocide compounds, which are novel, synthetic, anti-infective product candidates that are bioequivalent to the active antimicrobial molecules generated within white blood cells to treat and prevent a wide range of infections without causing bacterial resistance.